Young Republicans

[Peter Petto]

Dave Monroe wrote:

>A quick one, then I'm away.  Note that Oedipa is (I
>belive this is a quote) a "former Young Republican."
>Given the goings on going on around her, this seems
>esp. significant.  Presumably, she is at least, at
>least in contrast with that omnipresent 60's Yoof
>Culture, formerly young, but perhaps, at least by
>novella's end, she becomes formerly Republican as
>well.

the exact quote is:

>"Metzger," Oedipa whispered, embarassed, "I'm a Young Republican."

I think it's wishful thinking that Oedipa changes from Republican to 
Democrat in the course of this novella. There are certainly things about 
myself of which I am embarrassed -- but every embarrassment does not lead 
to change.

In caricature Democrats tend to create paranoid conspiracy theories about 
big business thugs, and Republicans tend to create paranoid conspiracy 
theories about big government thugs. Doesn't Pynchon do both?